Ware-steadying mechanism



Nqv. l, 1932. c. H. HARDMAN ET AL 1,386,095

WARE SiTEADYING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 22. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 Y Gttofnegx 1932- c. H. HARDMAN ET AL 1,886,095

WARE STEADYTNG MECHANISM Filed Sept. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 attorney? Patented Nov. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTiOFFI'CE 1 COY H. HARDMAN AND MARTIN H. THOMAS, OF ZANESVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO HAZEL-ATLAS GLASS COMPANY, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA WARE-STEADYING- MECHANISM Application filed September 22, 1931. Serial No. 564,450.

The present invention relates to the transfer of glassware from a forming machine to an endless conveyer which carries the ware to a leer or to some other desired point. 5 In the transfer of some types of ware from the forming machine to the conveyer, considerable difficulty is had by reason of the ware toppling over when deposited on the conveyer, or while it is being carried forward by the conveyer. This is particularly true in the handling of ware having a narrow base and of considerable height relative to the dimensions of the base.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an intermittently operated device which will positively maintain such articles erect while they are being deposited on the conveyer, and while they are beingcarried forward by the-conveyer. 9 Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which is capable of steady ing and maintaining erect, ware of widely different dimensions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is capable of use with any of the various transfer mechanisms in common use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is simc ple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, and which may be quickly and easily applied to the conventional transfer mechanisms and conveyers.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional conveyer for glassware with the novel ware-steadying device mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the forward end of the apparatus showing the gate forthe ware-steadying device in open position, and

Figures 4 and 5 are sections taken on lines 4-4; and 55 respectively of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in more detail,

the numeral 1 indicates a pair of bases or supports on which a frame 2 for the enclless conveyer is mounted. The frame is adjustably supported on thebases 1 by means of threaded bolts 3 whereby the height of the frame structure and conveyer may be adjusted.

The conveyer proper is indicated by the numeral 4 and is mounted on the usual sprocket wheels 5 and 6, to one of which any suitable motive power may be connected for imparting a continuous movement to the con veyer.

The numeral 10 indicates a bar or frame which is rotatably suspended from a bracket 11 and carries a pair of vertically disposed cylinders 12. The piston rods of these cylinders each carries a pair of grippers 13 which are operated in a manner well known in the art and need not be described in detail. This mechanism which is generally termed a take-out device serves to lift the completed bottles or other articles from the forming machine and carry the same around through an arc and deposit them on the conveyer l; it being understood of course that this take-out apparatus is timed with the forming machine and continuously transfers the formed bottles orcother pieces of ware to the conveyer. V

The foregoing mechanisms form no part of the present invention except insofar as they cooperate with the ware-steadying mechanism about to be described. The steadying apparatus for the ware includes twoguide rails 20 and 21, the former fixedly mounted at one side of the conveyer on its frame 2. The other guide rail 21 consists of a vertically disposed plate secured to angle brackets 22 which are horizontally adjustable by means of the bolt and slot connections 23. This guide rail 21 is positioned above conveyer 4 as indicated in Figures 2, 3 and 5, and may be horizontallyadjusted so as to vary the space between it and the guide rail 20 to accommodate ware of various horizontal dimensions. 7 7

From an inspection of Figures 2 and 3, it will be noted that the adjustable guide rail 21 terminates at a point to the rear of the forward end of the guide rail 20, the purpose being to provide a passageway or inlet, by means of whicha piece of ware suspended by the grippers 13 may be brought intoalignment with the passage between the guide rails. The inlet just referred to is normally closed hys gate 24 consisting of a piece of angle iron which is horizontally adjustable on a hinged plate 25 as by means of a bolt m and slot connection 26 (Fi ure 4). The piate25 which is hinged at 2 to the frame of the conveyer is provided with a rojection or lug 28 to which a link 29 is pivoted. The link 29 is in turn pivoted to an arm 30, which latter is pivotally connected to a bracket 31 supported on the exterior of the fixed riit 20. The portion of the arm remote from its pivotal connection is slidably mountedini bracket 32 also supported on the fixed rail 20 and provided with an elongated slot 33-inmhieh the arm is adapted to slide. A tension spring 34 has its respective ends secured to the a'rm30' and the guide rail 20 to normally hold the arm in the position shown a in Figure 2.

with the arm 30 in the position shown in Figure 2, the gate 24 is swung to its normally closed position and in order that the same may be'swung to open position as indicated a in Figure 3, so as to permit the entrance of a of Ware, a rotatable disc 35 havin diametrically disposed rollers 36, is provide This disc 35 is mounted on a shaft 37 driven by at 10111138 which is in turn driven from g the forming machine. As each roller 36 engages the free end of the arm 30 it swings the sane into the position shown in Figure 3 and thereby swings the gate 24 to open position as shown. It is to be understood, of 4. course, that the parts are synchronized with the forming machine so that the arm 30 will be moved outwardly so as to open the gate 24 atthe proper time to permit the take-out mechanism to swing a piece of ware into alignment with the passage between the guide rails. The arm 30 is then released and the m 34'returns the parts to the position in Figure 2, to close the passageway. In the operation of the device the pairs of m grippers 13 will alternately pick up a. piece of were from the forming machine and carry itin an arcuate path to the position where it is to be deposited; the point of deposit being, of course, substantially in alignment with 5.1 the ge between the guide rails 20 and 21. 11 Figure 3 is shown a piece of were inthe act of being transferred, and approaching the point where it is to be deposited. Just rior to the piece of ware reaching the positlon shown (Figure 3) one of the rollers 36 carried by the disc 35 will have engaged the free end of the arm 30 and swung it to the ion shown. This movement of the arm 30 swings the gate 24 into its open position and thus allows the pieces of ware to be brought into alignment with the passageway extending along the conveyor. At this time the particular roller 36 leaves the arm 30 and the spring 34 will return the parts to the position shown in Figure 2. Thereafter the grippers will release the piece of ware and the conveyor will transport the same into the longitudinal passageway before the gate is again opened to receive a piece of ware carried. by the second pair of grippers. It will thus be seen that the gate 24 is in position before the release of the ware by the take-out mechanism, and hence the ware is supported against toppling over not only while being carried along the conveyer 4, but also at the time it is deposited thereon. Moreover, in the event that articles having an elongated horizontal dimension are being formed, the gate will serve to turn them about their verticalaxes into alignment with the passageway, if they should be somewhat out of alignment as they are brought to the point of deposit. Furthermore, the pin and slot connection 23 for the brackets 22 of the guide rail 21 and the pin and slot connection 26 for the gate 24, permit the necessary adjustment to adapt the device to articles of various horizontal dimensions.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that we have devised a simple and efiicient construction for steadying ware as it is de posited upon and carried along a conveyor; that it is adapted to use with any conventional type of take-out device; that it is synchronized with the forming machine and entirely automatic in operation and that it may be quickly adjusted to handle ware of all sizes although, ofcourse, intended primarily for articles of fairly small cross sectional area which are more liable to topple over when being deposited, or when being carried onward by the conveyor, due to the vibrations thereof.

In accordance with the patent statutes, we have described what we now believe to he the preferred form of construction, but inasmuch as various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the essence of the invention, it is intended that all such changes and modifications he included within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is;

1. A ware-steadying device including a conveyor, :1 take-out mechanism for transferring ware from a forming machine to the conveyor, two parallel guide rails extending longitudinally of the conveyor and forming a passage along which the ware passes, and an intermittently operated gate for aligning ware with said passage.

2. A ware-steadying device including a conveyor, :1 take-out mechanism for transferring ware from a forming machine to the conveyer, two parallel guide rails extending longitudinally of the conveyer and between which the ware passes, and an intermittently operated gate to steady deposited ware in alignment with the passage formed by said guide rails.

3. A ware-steadying device including a conveyer, two parallel guide rails extending longitudinally of the conveyer and forming a passage for the ware, one of said guide rails stopping short of the other, a gate aligning with the shorter guide rail when in closed position, and means for opening the gate to admit a piece of ware.

4. A ware steadying device including a conveyer, two parallel guide rails eXtending longitudinally of the conveyor and forming a passage for the ware, one of said guide rails stopping short of the other, a gate align ing with the shorter guide rail when in closed position, and means for opening the gate after a piece of ware has been deposited and carried forward into said passage.

5. A ware steadying device including a conveyer, two parallel guide rails extending longitudinally of the conveyer and forming a passage for the ware, one of said guide rails stopping short of the other, a gate in termittently aligning with the shorter rail, and means for moving the gate into and out of alignment therewith.

6. A ware steadying device including a conveyer, two parallel guide rails extending longitudinally of the conveyer and forming passage for the ware, one of said guide rails stepping short of the other, a gate intermittently aligning with the shorter r il and a cam for moving the gate into and out of alignment with the shorter rail.

7. A ware-steadying device including a conveyor, two parallel guide rails extending longitudinally of the conveyor and forming a passage for the ware, one of said guide rails stopping short of the otl'ier, gate intermittently aligning with the shorter rail, means for transferring were from a forming machine to the conveyor, and means operated in timed relation with the forming machine for moving the gate into and out of alignment with the shorter rail.

8. A ware-steadying device including a conveyor, two paral el guice r ils extending longitueinally or". the conveyor a rd forming a passage for the ware, one of said guide rails stopping short of the other, means for adj usting the width of the passage between said rails, a gate adapted to substantially align with the shorter rail when closed, and means for opening and closing the gate.

9. A ware-steadying device including a conveyer, two parallel guide rails extending longitudinally of the conveyer and forming a passage for the ware, one of said rails stopping short of the other, a gate, means for moving the gate into cooperative position with respect to the longer rail, and means for adjusting the distance between the gate and the longer rail when in cooperative relation.

10. A ware-steadying device including a pivotally mounted gate, a fixed member, means for transferring ware from a forming machine to a point adjacent the fixed member, said transferring means suspending the ware during transfer, and means for swinging said gate in a horizontal plane to cooperative but spaced relation with said fixed mem her while the transferred ware is suspended from the transfer means, whereby the Ware may be rotated to the desired position.

11. A ware-steadying device including a conveyer, a pivotally mounted gate adapted to swing back and forth in a horizontal plane over said conveyer, means for transferring ware from a forming machine to a point adjacent said fixed member, said transferring means suspending the ware during transfer, means for swinging the gate into cooperative relation with the fined member after a piece of were has been carried to a point adjacent thereto and is still suspended from the transfer means, whereby the ware may be rotated to the desired position, and means for swinging the gate out of cooperative relation after the piece of ware has been deposited.

12. A ware-steadying device including a conveyor, a pivotally mounted gate adapted to swing baclr and to th in a horizontal plane over said conveyer, a fixed member associated with the conveyer, means for transferring ware from a forming machine to a point adjacent said fixed member, means for swinging the gate into cooperative relation with the fixed member after a piece of ware has been carried to a point adjacent thereto, and means for varying the distance between the gate and the fixed member when in cooperative relation.

13. A ware-steadying device including a conveyor, a pivotally mounted gate adapted to swing back and forth in a horizontal plane over said conveyor, a fixed member associated with the conveyer, means for transferring ware from a forming machine to a point adjacent said fined member, means for swinging the gate into and out of cooperative relation with the fixed member, and a guide rail parallel with the fixed member, said guide rail being in substantial alignment with the gate when the latter is in cooperative relation with the fixed member.

COY H. HARDMAN. MARTIN H. THOMAS. 

